Dover Township campground celebrates Christmas in July

Paul Kuehnel - Daily Record/Sunday News
From the left, Sue Fetrow, Robert Orwig, and Dot and Dave Gillespie gather at the entrance to the Christmas in July display Sunday at Cedar Lake Campground in Dover Township.

Robert "Hemi" Orwig said he stocked up on mistletoe and candy canes just after this past Christmas, knowing that he'd be celebrating again at Cedar Lake Campground soon enough.

Orwig, 59, who has lived at the Dover Township campground with longtime companion Ann Robinson, 68, for 18 years, dressed up as Santa and decorated the grounds with huge inflatable lawn ornaments for its annual Christmas in July celebration.

Previously, the couple limited their decorations to the land in front of their camper. But this year, they asked campground owner LeAnn Starner if they could expand and make a summer wonderland out of it.

The celebration was a big hit with campers, Orwig said.

"We had 70 some kids come through," he said.

He said one young boy asked for a Nerf gun at first, then came back and said, "'Uh, Santa, can I change that? I'd rather have a bike.'"

Orwig and Robinson's friends, Dot and Dave Gillespie, and Sue Fetrow, helped out, dressing up as elves and Mrs. Claus.

"We can't get together in December because the campground's closed," Dot Gillespie said. "This is our way of celebrating Christmas with everybody in the campground."

Her husband, Dave Gillespie, added, "We do it because we love doing it. We do it for the kids."

Starner said many of the other campers decorated their homes, and prizes were given out. In addition, the turkey dinner on Saturday drew about 150 people, she said.

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Camper Cheri Boughan, 65, said she thought the weekend, including Orwig's decorations, were "fantastic."

"I had my nativity scene set up, because that's what Christmas is all about, as far as I'm concerned," she said.

Starner said her parents, Floyd and Delores, who are now deceased, established the 100-acre campground in 1982. She and husband Gregory now run it, with son Jaron being groomed as the next owner, she said.

The camp features a lake stocked with fish, swimming pool, snack bar and an elaborate model train set-up, built by the Starners' other son, Jason.

Campers Roy and Lori Slothour got into the Christmas spirit, breaking out their lights and lawn ornaments.

"We're really close with our neighbors ... it's like our second family," Roy Slothour said. "It's great to celebrate with them.

Six-year-old camper Sladen Wolf said he asked Santa for a computer. His mother, Keary Wolf, said he also asked to see Santa's reindeer.

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